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A multilayered flexible piezoresistive sensor for wide-ranged pressure measurement based on CNTs/CB/SR composite

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2015

Ying Huang ,
Weihua Wang ,
Zhiguang Sun ,
Yue Wang ,
Ping Liu  and
Caixia Liu
Ying Huang*
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China; and Institute of Intelligence Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, People's Republic of China
Weihua Wang
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Zhiguang Sun
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Yue Wang
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Ping Liu
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
Caixia Liu
Affiliation:
School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, People's Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: hf.hy@163.com
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Abstract

To optimize the structure of the flexible piezoresistive sensor based on conductive polymer composite and widen the workable pressure range, a piezoresistive sensor with a multilayered structure based on carbon nanotubes/carbon black/silicone rubber conductive composite was designed and investigated. Different from the traditional monolayer structure, this novel multilayered sensor consisted of three microstructured piezoresistive composite films. The experimental data showed that the electrical resistance of the sensor varied regularly with a wide range of applied pressure (0–1.8 MPa at least). The high sensitivity, high flexibility, facile fabrication, and low cost were also the advantages of this pressure sensor. In addition, the piezoresistive mechanism was studied and shown to be the synergistic effects of the contact resistance mechanism and bulk resistance mechanism. Factors influencing the piezoresistive properties were also investigated. Moreover, the consecutive loading tests verified the feasibility and stability to use this sensor element for pressure measurement.

Keywords

flexible piezoresistive sensorcarbon nanotubescarbon blacksilicone rubberconductive compositepressure measurement
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 30 , Issue 12 , 28 June 2015 , pp. 1869 - 1875
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015 

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References

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